. Lectures to young people:. moregeneral duty of meditation, of which this is a part, as ameans of growth in grace, it is not easy adequately toestimate. Meditation is necessary not only as a prepa-ration for prayer, but as entering essentially into the na-ture of prayer ; nay, it is essential to every act of faith ;it is the exercise by which the soul digests all the spi-ritual food which it receives. Moreover, it is of greatimportance, as tending to promote spiritual many hours, and days, and years, of the christianslife, are lost, and worse than lost, from the fact that hismind
. Lectures to young people:. moregeneral duty of meditation, of which this is a part, as ameans of growth in grace, it is not easy adequately toestimate. Meditation is necessary not only as a prepa-ration for prayer, but as entering essentially into the na-ture of prayer ; nay, it is essential to every act of faith ;it is the exercise by which the soul digests all the spi-ritual food which it receives. Moreover, it is of greatimportance, as tending to promote spiritual many hours, and days, and years, of the christianslife, are lost, and worse than lost, from the fact that hismind has not been disciplined to a habit of inconsiderable part of your whole time is passed insolitude: many of these hours, at least, might be re-deemed by meditation, for purposes of religious improve-ment. You may meditate not in the closet only, but inthe field or the work-shop, in the lonely walk or themidnight hour ; you may meditate in circumstances inwhich you can do nothing else ; and thus, by this sweetU2. 234 and silent exercise of the soul, you may keep yourselfconstantly under a sanctifying influence. In respect to the duty of private prayer, much ofwhat might here naturally be said, has been anticipatedin another discourse. Let me only add, that your pri-vate addresses at a throne of grace should be, in a highdegree, particular; and should contemplate even themost minute circumstances of your condition. In socialand public prayer, our petitions are necessarily, in somedegree, of a general character ; as they embrace wantswhich each individual has, in common with many every christians experience has something in it pe-culiar ; and not only so, but it is subject to constantvariation ; and it is in the devotions of the closet alone,that this variety of experience can be distinctly recog-nized. Endeavor, then, by previous meditation, to gainan accurate knowledge of your necessities and sins, onthe one hand, and a deep impression of the mercieswhic
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